UnsungMusicalsCo. Opens MAKE MINE MANHATTAN, 3/1
By: Kelsey Denette Feb. 15, 2012
UnsungMusicalsCo. Inc. (www.UnsungMusicals.org) presents a new production of the hit 1948 musical revueMake Mine Manhattan. The limited three-week engagement will play March 1 – 17 at the Connelly Theatre(220 East 4th Street), opening March 4. With sketches and lyrics by Arnold B. Horwitt (Plain and Fancy, "The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis") and music by Emmy Award winner Richard Lewine ("Cinderella", "My Name is Barbra"), this new production is directed by UMC artistic director Ben West (Gatsby, How Now, Dow Jones,Platinum).
The production will feature the talents of Nicolas Dromard (Wicked, Mary Poppins), Nadine Isenegger (42ndStreet, Pal Joey), Dennis O'Bannion (White Christmas), Greg Reuter (Spamalot, Shrek), Gabrielle Ruiz (In the Heights, A Chorus Line), LaQuet Sharnell (Lysistrata Jones, Memphis), Bret Shuford (South Pacific, The Little Mermaid) and Kristen J. Smith (South Pacific, An American in Paris) with Christopher Lengerich and Fran Minarik at the pianos.
The original 1940s revue Make Mine Manhattan is a loving send-up of New York City's most infamous borough. Struggling actors, disgruntled theatre critics and hapless out-of-towners all bite the Big Apple in this sparkling entertainment!
Make Mine Manhattan will feature choreography by Rommy Sandhu (How Now, Dow Jones, Encores!Applause associate), musical direction and arrangements by Fran Minarik (Gatsby, Making the Boys), lighting design by Joe Hodge (Perfect Crime, Gatsby) and costume design by Martin T. Lopez (Penelope, Orpheus).
UMC is presenting Make Mine Manhattan as it was originally conceived by its authors under the title A Nice Place to Visit; the initial drafts describe the musical as "a pocket revue, designed for a cast of eight with two pianos". This new one-act production of the hit revue will feature discarded dialogue and four musical numbers cut prior to the revue's Broadway bow: "I Gotta Have You", "New York Gal", "Old Fashioned Girl", "Please Take It Back".
Tickets, priced at $18, are currently on sale via SmartTix.com or by calling 212-868-4444. For more information, visit www.UnsungMusicals.org.
The original Broadway production of Make Mine Manhattan opened January 15, 1948 at the Broadhurst Theatre. Staged by Hassard Short and starring Sid Caesar, Sheila Bond, David Burns and Danny Daniels, the hit revue played 429 performances and was followed by a national tour starring Bert Lahr.
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